Celebrating the Red, White and Bloom: Transferware in the Potting Shed

Memorial Day is a week away, time to celebrate the Red, White and Blue!

And I’m joining my blogging friends to share some floral inspiration and Monday Morning Blooms! You’ll find my floral friends’ links to their blooming creations at the bottom of this post.

Thank you for joining me for a little flower therapy this morning. Our challenge for this week’s edition of MMB was to use blue and white vessels or dishes with flowers. I also used a pop of red for a patriotic nod to Memorial Day!

If you’re a reader of my blog, you may have noticed I have *slight* dish addiction. I don’t discriminate. . .I love both new and old dishes alike!

Blue and white floral salad plates were found at Pottery Barn a couple of years ago. New, with a vintage appearance from a crackle glaze and transferware-inspired floral motif.

And I’m weighing in on transferware love!

Transferware is a timeless, decorative art form of pottery. It is the term given to pottery which has had a pattern applied to it by the transferring of a design from an inked, hand engraved, warmed copper plate to a wet tissue paper and then onto the body of pottery it decorates. Transferware is most commonly found on earthenware, but also on ironstone, porcelain and bone china. The majority of transferware was produced in the Staffordshire region of England.

Although more blue was produced than other colors, colored transferware became popular in America in the 1830s and was exported in red, pink, purple, cranberry, brown, black, green, yellow, gray and various combinations of colors. Feast your eyes on all these beautiful pieces in Nancy’s shop, here.

My blue transferware pieces are a hodge podge, picked up over time. Pieces a little shabby and time-worn. . .

Pieces with crazing. . .

Gravy boats that are chipped. . .

Tureens and sugar bowls with missing lids.

All perfectly imperfect to serve up flowers!

The first flush of Endless Summer Hydrangeas have arrived, a cause for celebration!

They’ve really opened up since last week when I cut a few first blooms for this table. They’re joining Japanese privet, red and white tulips and red alstroemeria from the grocery store.

A pair of gardening gloves hold a napkin and provide a pocket for assorted vintage flatware, a fun addition for a garden club lunch or tabletop fun in Potting Shed.

I’m always on the look out to add a blooming fork or spoon to my collection, especially when I can pick one up for a dollar or two at an antique mall.

Time to fly the flags. . .

Celebrate the Red, White and Blue!

Visit my talented blogging friends to see their beautiful floral inspiration this week:

29 comments for “Celebrating the Red, White and Bloom: Transferware in the Potting Shed”

I so love how you are “weighing in” on transferware love! I can always count on you on truly beautiful and informative posts on the subject you are featuring. I am envious of your hydrangeas for the picking…I so miss mine and must rely on “TJ’s” how for my hydrangea fix. I know I am in for many smiles when you present your creations in the Potting Shed. Such a happy place for us to enjoy the beauty you create. Your blue transferware is beautiful and ever so charming (love that sugar bowl..always gravitate to them) and I shall always think of you whenever I run across a “blooming spoon”! As always, so great to join you and the lovely, lovely ladies of Monday Morning Blooms! Have a great day Mary!

I love seeing your dish addiction, Mary, and how you style everything! I really thought the salad plates were vintage, until I read that they were purposefully crackled and from Pottery Barn. The pops of red to your blue and white theme add the Patriotic touch. Your vintage flatware always makes me swoon, as do your blossoms from your Endless Hydrangeas. May you have a wonderful week! xo

I really enjoy your tablescapes in the potting shed, Mary, and I share your love of transferware. I also like your incorporating the vintage silverplated flatware. But how do you store all those miscellaneous pieces to keep them clean? Do you have to polish them every time you bring them out? That’s what deters me from using my grandmother’s set of Rogers Brothers, and I have it stored in a specially treated case with additional papers that are supposed to minimize tarnishing.

Hi Maureen! I don’t do anything special with my vintage flatware other than keeping it in a plastic bag with some silica gel packs to reduce any moisture. If it were sterling or heirloom quality flatware, I store it in silver cloth. I don’t polish it often as I like the bit of tarnish and patina it has so that the floral details are highlighted more. ;)

Your Fresh Flower Market is an Ode to Transferware Mary! It is red, white & bloomiful! I learned so much about transferware, and did pop over to see all the beautiful things on Nancy’s blog {and pinned her potato recipe too!} I have a new love and respect for transferware! I love how you cover their little chips and flaws with big fat blooms! Enjoy those Endless Summer hydrangeas…
Jenna

Mary, I always swoon over your fabulous collection of transferware and how you incorporate it in your beautiful tables and vignettes. I have Endless Summer Hydrangea envy, their blooms are just so pretty. I planted five of those a few years ago in my front landscape (not in my garden) and the deer ate them down even with the ground. I was so discouraged, I haven’t tried again. My mopheads have buds and I can’t wait for their blooms. Your wonderful collection of blooming spoons inspires me to start my own collection. 😊Nancy’s Daily Dish is a great source for all things transferware. I always look forward to sharing Monday Morning Blooms with my floral friends❤️

Mary, What beautiful arrangements! The dishes & flowers are so pretty. It’s a wonderful Potting Shed scene! You make these inviting scenes look so effortless but we all know it’s a lot of work. We appreciate your efforts & the wonderful inspiration you share! Have a wonderful week! Clara 💕

Mary how charming to use your little red stool and antique scales with a touch of red as accents. I love all your transferware both old and new. The mix is very pretty and how lovely your first hydrangea blooms are.
Styling in the potting shed makes a beautiful statement for a patriotic occasion. All your touches of garden gloves as flatware holders and napkins on the diagonal make your vignette captivating with a myriad of details. All your blooms are so pretty. Love the addition of the red tulips, privet blooms and the flogs.
Have a wonderful week and holiday weekend.

Thanks so much for all the info you always provide for us. I don’t have any transferware, and doubt I will start as I have WAY too many dishes:) Our hydrangeas are not near to blooming but hopefully soon. Beautiful setting as always! Have a great holiday weekend! I bet you will be out on the boat!

Mary, this is just fabulous seeing your transferware in the potting shed with hydrangeas (already! ours are a few weeks away). Your single purchase silver pieces are a great little addition to the dish fetish. And what a nice nod to Nancy with her shop. I was wondering about Lidy, so it’s good to hear she’ll be back in June. Have a great weekend.

Always love your display of transferware..probably because I love it too along with the dish addiction!! You are so lucky to have your Hydrangeas in bloom..ours are just starting…but, my Peonies ARE blooming!! My heart and prayers go out to Jefferonville Missouri…I’ve been through two devastating tornados and can REALLY sympathize…we, in Indiana, dodged a bullet… very grateful!! Enjoy Memorial weekend!! God bless those that are/have served!! 🇺🇸🏁🇺🇸🏁🇺🇸🏁🇺🇸